More PSUs make similar demands

THE STATE Government?s move to raise retirement age for employees of various corporations and companies of power sector has opened a Pandora?s box with more corporations demanding an increase in retirement age from 58 to 60 years.

THE STATE Government’s move to raise retirement age for employees of various corporations and companies of power sector has opened a Pandora’s box with more corporations demanding an increase in retirement age from 58 to 60 years.

Adding to it, a similar demand from employees of almost all the other public sector undertakings (PSUs) of the State Government have also become louder.

However, taking lead this time are employees of the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC), who are demanding increase in retirement age.

As word about State Government’s decision to increase the retirement age in the power sector corporations and companies goes around, the employees of other corporations might join the chorus, said a senior officer of the Public Enterprise Bureau. According to senior officers, the State Cabinet did not take the public enterprise bureau into confidence before going ahead with the move to increase retirement age of power sector units. The Cabinet had earlier decided not to increase the retirement age in any of the loss-making corporations, said a senior officer of department.

The officer said that some of the corporations earning profit might intensify the demand. Principal Secretary Public Enterprise Bureau Sunanda Prasad talking to Hindustan Times on telephone also admitted that the department had so far not recommended increase in retirement age at any corporation. The Uttar Pradesh Nigam Karamchari Mahasangh president Pritam Das, however, said that a delegation of UPSRTC employees met the Minister for Transport Naresh Agarwal on Monday to demand the increase in the retirement age. As the minister and the chief minister were busy for next few days, the delegation would meet them soon to put up their demand before them.

“We have already deferred strike from December 14,” he said, adding that boycott might now be observed on December 23 instead. The UP Employees and Teachers Joint Council Convenor VP Mishra said that a delegation of the council also met Chief Secretary Naveen Chandra Bajpai last week to demand increase in retirement age. A delegation of council would meet Chief Secretary again on Wednesday to raise the issue, he said.